Q: I have a limited period contract for two years and I want to resign as per the internal contract (2 months). I received another offer from a different company, and both companies are in Dubai. Can the employer impose a labour ban on me? If I get a labour ban, and since the new company is a free zone company, will the labour ban has effect as well?

Q: Hi Atty., I just want to ask a piece of advice regarding my 1-year labour ban which my previous employer applied because I didn't finish my 2-year limited contract with her for a reason that she is not giving my salary for 2 months. I was working in her salon as a manicurist for 11 months, and now I have an offer from a company as an accountant with a salary of 5000. Is it possible that my ban will be lifted? What should I do? Thank you and more power.

Q: I am working since 5 months on a limited contract of 2 years, and suddenly the employer asked me to sign the termination paper due to restructuring and the company could not find me a suitable position. Is this a reason for an automatic ban in the UAE?

Q: Greetings! I am a home care nurse for a private company here in Dubai, worked for 1 year in service under a limited contract. Due to some problems with my DHA licensing, I cannot proceed to apply for the license unless I decide to go back to my home country & fill in my gap year there. With this, I decided to talk to my employer that I want to resign so I can make use of the DHA RN exam that I passed when I come back here again next year. But unfortunately, they told me I cannot resign because they helped me process the exam and funded it even though all the expenses were deducted from my salary. They told me if I do so, I will have to pay the cancellation fee & the 45 days salary which I am willing to pay. I am planning to come back here to Dubai after a year, so I would like to ask if the company can ban me from entering and applying here again? Thank You!

Q: I signed a limited contract and it states that I may work under probation of six months. If I resign, will I get a labor ban and be required to compensate my employer?

Q: How to resign from a limited contract without getting a ban?

Q: Hello. I have been with my employer for 15 months, and my employment contract is for two years. Is it possible to terminate the contract before the end of the two-year term?

When an employee or employer mentions legal issues related to their labour relationship, the first question to be raised is: do you have a limited or unlimited labour contract? We try here to shed light on the relevant provisions of the limited and unlimited contracts in the UAE labour law pertaining to resignation, termination of employment, notice period and calculation of the end of service benefits.

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

The provisions of this Law, known as "UAE Labour Law", govern the relationship between employers and employees and other labour matters in the United Arab Emirates. There are special labour related regulations applicable in some of the free zones in the UAE.

This Decree sets the rules and conditions for the termination of fixed-term (limited) or unlimited (not term-bound) employment contract between employer and worker in the United Arab Emirates.

The provisions of this Decree-Law, known as "New UAE Labor Law", govern labour relations in the private sector of the United Arab Emirates. The New Labor Law repeals the previous UAE Labor Law (Federal Law No. (8) of 1980).